news: Comedian Patrice O'Neal Dies At 41

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Comedian Patrice O'Neal Dies At 41

Charlie Sheen roaster suffered a stroke in October.
By Jocelyn Vena

Patrice O'Neal
Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

The news of his death was was confirmed by his co-star on "The Opie & Anthony Show." The comedian and radio personality suffered a stroke back in October.

O'Neal was best known for his work as a stand-up comedian but also appeared in several films like "25th Hour," "Scary Movie 4" and "Furry Vengeance." In addition to being a regular guest on Opie and Anthony's show, he also made multiple appearances on "Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn," "Chappelle's Show" and "The Office."

Click for photos from the life and career of Patrice O'Neal.

Just this past September, he was one of the many comedians who poked fun at Charlie Sheen during his "Comedy Central Roast." He also hosted VH1's "Web Junk 2.0" back in 2006. Earlier this year, his Comedy Central special "Elephant in the Room" premiered on the network.

For those who knew him best, it was his bigger-than-life personality that will be missed most. "Yes it's true that our pal Patrice O'Neal has passed away," Opie, a.k.a. Gregg Hughes, tweeted. "The funniest and best thinker i've ever known PERIOD. #devastated." He then tweeted out a link to a video of the late comedian laughing on the radio show, simply adding, "Patrice O'Neal Greatest Laugh EVER."

Born in Boston on December 7, 1969, O'Neal got his start on the stage and in the early '90s and moved to Los Angeles to shoot for the big leagues. Eventually, his stand-up career resulted in smaller roles in films, as well as the HBO comedy special "One Night Stand." He had been living in the New York area at the time of his death.

The New York Daily News reports that O'Neal died Monday night. Shortly after his October stroke, his friend and fellow comedian Jim Norton opened up about his condition on the radio. "We don't know how he is. We don't know how he's going to be," Norton said. "I didn't want to do this by myself. I wish we had more news for you."

Share your condolences for O'Neal's family and friends in the comments below.

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